In the past, a variety of systems have been proposed for constructing buildings.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,393 (Madray) discloses a metal building construction system including a plurality of inter-fitting components for general purpose building requirements. These components include side studs which are fastened to headers and joist through an cave adapter element. The joist are interconnected via a ridge adaptor. The cave adaptor and the ridge adaptor interconnect with channels of the studs, headers and joists. The framing studs are connected to the regular studs via L-shaped beams. The framing studs may be formed with a rolled edge which hooks over and engages a special piece of siding.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,358 (Madray) discloses a second building construction system which includes adapters for rapidly attaching girder members. The adapters are pre-fabricated with flanges to form at least two receiving channels of uniform width and cross-section. The channel members have a C-shaped cross-section and define studs and other building components. Studs, headers, and joist are connected through a plurality of ridge adapters and truss adapters. Floor joist are connected to the studs through cross adapters. A T-shaped adaptor provides a three-way connection between the floor joist and exterior wall studs. A cross adaptor provides a 4-way connection between floor joist and interior wall studs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,957 (Madray) discloses a third building construction system having a plurality of substantially flat connector plate members for connecting girders, studs, and rafters. The girders, studs, and rafters are interconnected with connector plates to provide a wide range of framework members. Braces are included extending from the rafters to the girders. The stud members include a pair of reversely disposed channel members having webs secured together with spot welding. The channel members include flanges extending in opposite directions from the corresponding webs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,480 (Hale) discloses a building metal support apparatus having vertical columns which support rafter members, girders, and roof support members. The vertical columns and the rafters are connected through rafter clips which include channel-shaped members and rafter plates that are welded to one another. The rafter clips are bolted to the support columns and the plates are bolted to the rafters. The rafters are connected to one another through joining plates which are welded to corresponding ends of the rafters. The vertical columns are connected to the base plate through base clips. The base plate rests on and can be fastened to the building's floor. The rafters, vertical columns, and girders generally are formed with a C-shaped cross-section while the roof support member is formed with a Z-shaped cross-section.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,258,408 (Hill) discloses a metallic building structure which attaches the column sections to the girders and the trusses with a horizontal plate member. The column section is connected to the girders or beams and the column sections through a plate member.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,893,636 (Ridgeway) discloses a metallic house frame which uses other types of connectors to interconnect the trusses, girders, and vertical support columns.
However, the foregoing systems have met with limited success since the connectors and frame design have failed to allow different types of rafters and ridge struts of differing shapes to be connected at a single point. Further, when the rafters, trusses, and beams of the conventional systems join, they intersect to form rough or discontinuous seams. These rough and unsmooth seams render it difficult to attach the siding and sheeting to the frame without creating gaps or unusual spans between the sheeting and the rafters, trusses, beams, and vertical support columns.
Additionally, the conventional systems form the beams and columns with universal connectors whereby any beam or column may be attached to one another. Hence, in the conventional systems, a builder was apt to accidentally connect a beam to an incorrect column.
A need remains in the industry for a steel frame structure which overcomes the foregoing problems. The present invention meets this need.